With modern computing platforms and technologies shifting towards mobile and wearable devices that include camera sensors as native acquisition input streams, the desire to record and preserve moments digitally in a different form than more traditional two-dimensional (2D) flat images and videos has become more apparent. Traditional digital media formats typically limit their viewers to a passive experience. For instance, a 2D flat image can be viewed from one angle and is limited to zooming in and out. Accordingly, traditional digital media formats, such as 2D flat images, do not easily lend themselves to reproducing memories and events with high fidelity.
Current predictions (Ref: KPCB “Internet Trends 2012” presentation”) indicate that every several years the quantity of visual data that is being captured digitally online will double. As this quantity of visual data increases, so does the need for much more comprehensive search and indexing mechanisms than ones currently available. Unfortunately, neither 2D images nor 2D videos have been designed for these purposes. Accordingly, improved mechanisms that allow users to view and index visual data, as well as query and quickly receive meaningful results from visual data are desirable.